Manchester United could rival Juventus to sign 26-year-old defender this summer: Reports

According to MEN Sport, Manchester United are toying with the idea of signing Borussia Dortmund’s Manuel Akanji this summer.

The 26-year old Swiss international has earned rave reviews for his performances this season and has a contract with his current club until the summer of 2023. Reports had earlier claimed that Akanji was holding out for better terms than what Borussia Dortmund were willing to offer. The German club has seemingly resigned to the idea of losing him in recent weeks and know that they will only be able to receive a fee for him this summer.

As a result, a number of big clubs have shown interest, including Italian club Juventus. Juve are looking to replace their aging center-backs in the form of Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Manuel Akanji is one of their top targets, with Manchester United merely considering him as one of their options.

The English club are for obvious reasons looking to bring about a squad overhaul and are keeping tabs on a number of central defenders.

Manchester United looking to solve squad’s biggest issues this summer?

The central defense, despite the presence of captain Harry Maguire and new signing Raphael Varane, is an obvious area that needs improvement. The former’s mistakes, in particular, have cost the team consistently, while the midfield also needs reinforcements.

Paul Pogba is one of a horde of stars expected to leave in the summer, with Nemanja Matic already having made the announcement. While Declan Rice is still the top target, various other targets have also been constantly monitored. Finally, a center-forward and a right-back

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is simply not proficient enough as an attacker, while Diogo Dalot is prone to defensive errors. At the age of 37, Cristiano Ronaldo can also not be expected to even turn up every week. The Portuguese has been left with too much to do in recent weeks and the club has already lost all hope for Champions League football next season.

The next few months have the potential to be exciting, and the upcoming transfer window is bound to play an important role in Erik Ten Hag potentially bringing about quick change.